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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have walked out last night?

233 replies

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:11

I'll try to keep this brief. Yesterday we hosted the my in-laws for the day. I drove them to the races and then stayed home with my 21yr old DD ( we are not racing fans) and MIL who has back issues so wanted to stay with us. I cooked a lasagne and a vegetable curry for the evening, then drove back to collect DH, FIL and my two stepsons and bring them home.
They sat and watched football while drinking, I pottered in the kitchen checking on dinner, bringing drinks etc. At food serving time DH came out as I was dishing up the lasagne. He started to shake his head so I asked what was wrong. He said "that looks fucking shit". I reminded him we had decided not to make a salad as it never gets eaten, he said "you didn't make salad because you couldn't be arsed". I said look it's fine, there's salad on the plate I will put some on the plates, but please don't speak to me like that.
He become very aggressive and told me to put the fucking salad on the plates, then that I was being a massive prick.
I ignored him and finished serving the food and the curry then went upstairs. He followed me up and told me I was a fucking bitch, and entitled prick, that I was selfish and didn't give a shit about anyone else. He was so vile out of no where and I didn't want it to escalate so I packed a bag and slipped out, spending the night in a nearby travel lodge so as not to a) have it become worse and b) spoil the evening for the rest of the family who were enjoying themselves.

He says what I have done is unforgivable in a marriage. He says I shouldn't be concerned about his words and that I should be more concerned about his actions which he said were not wrong.
Was IBU??

OP posts:
Enterthedragonqueen · 27/12/2024 11:37

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:33

I need to articulate to him how this situation is not all about me removing myself but about the way he spoke to me which led me to do that. I find it really hard to communicate with him in these situations because he will not listen to me and I get muddled and lose my ability to speak clearly...

Quite simple, send him a divorce letter explaining your reasons via a solicitor.

azafata2 · 27/12/2024 11:37

Don't worry about getting muddled...get mad!

GabriellaMontez · 27/12/2024 11:38

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:33

I need to articulate to him how this situation is not all about me removing myself but about the way he spoke to me which led me to do that. I find it really hard to communicate with him in these situations because he will not listen to me and I get muddled and lose my ability to speak clearly...

"I will not listen to you speak to me like that."

What else is there to say?

Merryoldgoat · 27/12/2024 11:38

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:32

It sounds daft but my dogs are my absolute world, I adore them and could not move somewhere without them. I also need somewhere my daughter can come home to, she finishes uni in the summer and will be home for a year to complete a PGCE...

It does sound daft.

Loving your pets more than your own wellbeing and safety is not admirable.

SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 27/12/2024 11:38

Actually you don't need to communicate anything to him.

The man is a bullying bellend who clearly thinks he can say what he likes to you.

Just leave in silence.

LittleBitAlexisLaLaLaLaLa · 27/12/2024 11:39

He says what I have done is unforgivable in a marriage. He says I shouldn't be concerned about his words and that I should be more concerned about his actions which he said were not wrong.

I would be very firmly turning that around- how he has behaved is unforgivable in a marriage- or indeed any type of relationship. How dare he speak to you like that? How dare he expect you to put up with it? When he’s behaved like this before has alcohol been involved? Not excusing him at all, but if it is, it’s a factor that needs to be addressed.

The fact he refuses to take responsibility at all and admit he’s in the wrong means that your marriage is doomed. He will keep behaving like this over and over because he sees it as his right to.

pictoosh · 27/12/2024 11:40

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:33

I need to articulate to him how this situation is not all about me removing myself but about the way he spoke to me which led me to do that. I find it really hard to communicate with him in these situations because he will not listen to me and I get muddled and lose my ability to speak clearly...

Unless he's completely thick (and I'm sure he's not) he knows exactly why you removed yourself and what his behaviour was like.

He comes at you as though he is the victim in order to bully the onus away from his wrongdoing and on to your very natural reaction to get away from him.

He knows this. He understands it.

ThriveIn2025 · 27/12/2024 11:41

Merryoldgoat · 27/12/2024 11:38

It does sound daft.

Loving your pets more than your own wellbeing and safety is not admirable.

I agree, the more he gets away with the more it will escalate. I’m talking from experience here. Your safety is more important.

gottastopeatingchocolate · 27/12/2024 11:41

In a house full of people, no-one else heard him say those things to you...

If he saw nothing wrong in what he said and did, it would have been done in someone's hearing - he knows he was wrong.

Ask him to leave.

Deadringer · 27/12/2024 11:44

His behaviour was appalling. If he can't see that I don't think there is any way of salvaging the relationship.

lifeonmars100 · 27/12/2024 11:46

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:21

My post should have read there was salad in the fridge which I said I would put on the plates...not that the salad is really the main issue here but it was the trigger so feel I should represent that bit properly!!

I think that he would have a go at you no matter what you did, sounds like he was spoiling for a fight and any excuse would do. Horrible and disrespectful way to treat you I am sorry you have had to cope with such nasty behaviour

Jumell · 27/12/2024 11:47

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:24

She has just called me actually, she had no idea until she asked my daughter much later where I had gone and she told her I was upset and had left. His mum was mortified but not surprised as he has form...

It’s good OP that at least you’ve got solidarity in his mum ..

lovemyboyz247 · 27/12/2024 11:47

You don't sound daft at all for loving your dogs as much as you do.

In fact you sound like a loving, caring and considerate person who deserves so so much better.

There is no point trying to talk to him about this because he will refuse to acknowledge he's a bully.

I hope you find the strength to kick him out

Shrinkingrose · 27/12/2024 11:48

Op it’s clear you’re being abused. You knew enough to get out before it escalated. That’s why you left. His mother wasn’t surprised. You say it’s not the first time, and you say he’s got form. He’s now blaming you for him abusing you and turning it on you.

personally I’d be divorcing, tell him to go stay elsewhere. Or contacting women’s aid and going to a refuge, if you earn enough you’re not entitled to benefits, can you really not afford a small place to rent?

Izzy24 · 27/12/2024 11:49

RandomMess · 27/12/2024 11:29

Look at entitled to see if you would get financially assistance for rent if on your own.

Your friend could terminate the joint tenancy and then rent it out to just you.

Yes this.

JMSA · 27/12/2024 11:51

Holy shit, you were so NOT unreasonable. I hope you're ok Flowers

PeggyMitchellsCameo · 27/12/2024 11:52

So you are entitled but he gets to live in a lovely home with a reduced rent, because of your friend, not his?
And you are so entitled because you ferried his family around all day?
He knows it’s wrong because he did it in private, away from his family.
There is no point in trying to reason with this man. It’s like trying to negotiate with a monkey holding a machine gun.
I know your dogs mean a lot to you, but if you stay in this home with this man you are slowly killing yourself.
What does your daughter think? She must hear you getting spoken to like that?

Gettingbysomehow · 27/12/2024 11:54

That would be it for me, nobody talks to me like that. You need to divorce him.

Eyerollexpert · 27/12/2024 11:55

RandomMess · 27/12/2024 11:29

Look at entitled to see if you would get financially assistance for rent if on your own.

Your friend could terminate the joint tenancy and then rent it out to just you.

This

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 27/12/2024 11:55

@cherrypumpkin tell him that even his mum knows he has form for this!!!

Nanny0gg · 27/12/2024 11:56

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:25

We rent our home, I do work yes I earn ok money but it still wouldn't be enough to cover everything on my own in a different property as we rent this through a friend of mine who charges us very reasonably in comparison to the market price...

Then he can go... can you afford this one on your own? Would you be entitled to any benefits?

PoisedGoldBiscuit · 27/12/2024 11:57

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:33

I need to articulate to him how this situation is not all about me removing myself but about the way he spoke to me which led me to do that. I find it really hard to communicate with him in these situations because he will not listen to me and I get muddled and lose my ability to speak clearly...

Unfortunately this is what happens when someone is abusive/gaslights. You'll end up so confused by the end of the conversation that you'll start to doubt yourself entirely. Please know that no matter you say and how eloquently, you won't change this man. Leaving really is the only option, although it's likely the scariest at the moment. Feel free to PM me as I've been there myself and managed to escape, despite it looking impossible.

nationalsausagefund · 27/12/2024 11:57

He WANTS you to feel muddled and unable to formulate a response or leave for good. It’s why it’s so confusing: you’ve done nothing wrong and here he is verbally abusing you, it breaks your brain. Even on this thread you’re offering up a defence that there really was salad – it wouldn’t be OK for him to speak to you like that even if you’d never bought a vegetable in your life.

Leave. Someone will take in the dogs, your daughter will be OK, she’s at uni, she’s an adult. Sack him off and go and live a life where it doesn’t matter whether there’s salad or not, no one abuses you or makes you feel you need to leave your own home.

butterfly0404 · 27/12/2024 11:57

Divorce the prick, nothing more to be said

RandomMess · 27/12/2024 11:57

You can also look at getting an occupation order. You need to report his abuse to the police, you knew you needed to leave as you knew it would escalate.

It's the long game. Report it to help gain an occupation order and also ask your friend to terminate the joint tenancy.